Lady R incident

Last updated

The Lady R (vessel with the red hull, right) being tugged away from Naval Base Simon's Town on 9 December 2022, the SAS Mendi (left) can be seen in the foreground. Russia's Lady R Leaves Simons Town 03.jpg
The Lady R (vessel with the red hull, right) being tugged away from Naval Base Simon's Town on 9 December 2022, the SAS Mendi (left) can be seen in the foreground.

The Lady R incident, also known as #LadyRussiagate, refers to the docking of the sanctioned Russian cargo ship Lady R at Simon's Town Naval Base in South Africa in December 2022 and the resulting diplomatic impact. The ship was carrying military cargo. [1] The incident is controversial for the secretive nature of the docking [2] [3] and an allegation by the United States ambassador to South Africa that South African military supplies were loaded onto the ship for use in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Background

The Lady R

The Lady R is a Russian flagged roll-on/roll-off type cargo ship built in 2004 by the Türkiye Gemi Shipbuilding company in Istanbul, Turkey. [7] Prior to 2019, it was named the "Sloman Producer." [7] It has a typical draught of 4.4 meters, a length of 123 meters and a beam of 19 meters. The ship uses a 5760 kW MAN-B&W type engine. [7] It uses the call sign UBDT8 and has the IMO / MMSI numbers 9161003 / 273212120. [7] [8] The ship has a recorded gross tonnage of 7260 and a summer dead-weight of 7630 tons. [7] [8] As of 2024, its registered home port is Astrakhan, Russia. [7]

South African position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) and South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor (right) on 22 September 2022. 2YAN 5330 (52766236393).jpg
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) and South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor (right) on 22 September 2022.

Following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine wide-ranging sanctions were imposed on Russia by the United States, Canada, and numerous countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. On 8 May 2022 the Lady R was listed as one of two Russian cargo ships sanctioned by the United States for its involvement in the transport of munitions from North Korea to the Russian Federation in support of Russia's invasion. [9]

Prior to the December 2022 docking of the Lady R in Simon's Town, the South African government's position on the invasion of Ukraine had drawn criticism for being unofficially friendly towards Russia whilst official neutral. [10] [11] [12] Although South Africa initially condemned Russia's invasion [13] it retracted the statement and instead declared official neutrality. [14] Despite the invasion and resulting international diplomatic condemnation Russian-South Africa relations have remained strong [15] with South Africa being one of 35 countries to abstain from a subsequent United Nations vote demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine. [16]

The country's governing political party since 1994, the African National Congress (ANC), has been criticized by some in South Africa for being too supportive of Russia. [17] [18] The ANC received $826,000 from United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) mines in 2022, a company that Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg and the ANC party's investment arm, Chancellor House, have invested in. [19] [20]

Docking at Simon's Town Naval Base

Russia's Lady R disembarking Simon's Town Naval Base early on Friday, 9 December 2022 following its secretive and controversial docking. Russia's Lady R Leaves Simons Town 01.jpg
Russia's Lady R disembarking Simon's Town Naval Base early on Friday, 9 December 2022 following its secretive and controversial docking.

In October 2022 the Lady R started its voyage from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk [21] en route to the port of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. [22] Sometime between 8 pm and 10 pm on Tuesday, 6 December 2022, halfway through its circumnavigation of Africa, the Lady R docked at the Naval Base in Simon's Town, South Africa. [23] [3] The ship had turned off its marine tracking system south of Agulhas on 5 December 2022, [22] and its arrival was unexpected and controversial. [3] [24] The ship was loaded and unloaded with cargo under armed guard at night under the cover of darkness as the country experienced a planned national rolling blackout [2] on 8 December. [25] The ship left early the next day on Friday, 9 December 2022 [2] [26] [24] and completed its journey to Dar es Salaam in February 2023. [21] The docking was shrouded in secrecy, and neither the South African nor Russian governments commented on it at the time. [24] [27] [2] [26]

There was significant speculation at the time about whether or not this was an instance of South Africa supplying weapons to Russian forces in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Two weeks later, following repeated questions about the docking, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise stated that the Lady R was offloading an old, outstanding order for ammunition. [1] [28]

The Lady R leaving Naval Base Simon's Town. Russia's Lady R Leaves Simons Town 06.jpg
The Lady R leaving Naval Base Simon's Town.

Witnesses observed that 6 shipping containers were loaded on to the ship before midnight on 8 December just prior to its departure. [29]

The Lady R's arrival in South Africa came at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Russia's invasion of Ukraine [2] and South Africa's unwillingness to criticize the invasion despite its policy of supporting a rules based international order. [30]

2023 accusation by the American ambassador

On 11 May 2023, the United States ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, accused the country of supplying arms to Russia during the December 2022 docking of the Lady R. [4] During the same announcement, ambassador Brigety also stated that the ANC, the governing political party of South Africa, had been unresponsive to repeated American attempts at dialogue and that the ANC's policy document on the war in Ukraine was "hostile" to the government of the United States. [5] [31] [32] Ambassador Brigety went on to say that this indicated that South Africa was "not non-aligned", [33] contrary to South Africa's officially proclaimed non-aligned position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [33]

The docking of the Lady R, along with other incidents of South Africa-Russia cooperation, further strained South Africa's relationship with the US and other Western countries whilst increasing skepticism in the West of South Africa's self-proclaimed non-aligned or neutral position on the war in Ukraine. [34] [35] Prior to ambassador Brigety's accusation South Africa had also hosted the naval exercise Mosi II with Russia and China which coincided with the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, [36] [34] and allowed the secretive landing of a US-sanctioned Russian cargo aircraft at the Waterkloof Air Force Base. [34] [37]

Roughly two weeks before ambassador Brigety's accusation, South Africa had sent a delegation to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the continuation of the country's inclusion in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), [38] during which the American government claims they had raised concerns with the South African delegation about the country arming Russia. [4]

Reaction in South Africa

South Africa denied the allegation and stated that the country's interaction with the Lady R was consistent with its non-aligned position on the war in Ukraine. [39] South African President and President of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa stated that an independent inquiry would be launched to investigate Brigety's accusation. [40] [41] [42] South Africa démarched ambassador Brigety and claimed that Bridgety later apologized for the statement. [43] [44] Following the accusation, South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had informed him in February 2023 of American suspicions that South Africa had supplied arms and ammunition to Russia when the Lady R docked. [45]

Four days after ambassador Brigety's accusation, the commander of Russia's ground forces, general Oleg Salyukov, met with chief of the South African army lieutenant general Lawrence Mbatha to discuss issues of military cooperation and combat readiness. [46] [35] South Africa denied that the meeting was connected to the diplomatic incident resulting from the Lady R docking and stated that the trip was planned before Brigety's statement. [46] [35]

At an ANC political event, President Ramaphosa later stated that his government found Brigety's accusation "distasteful" and as "an attack" [47] [48] on South Africa by not following normal diplomatic processes but stated that talks with the ambassador thereafter were cordial. [48] [45]

South Africa's largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, accused the ANC government of secretly supplying weapons to Russia in return for secret funding for the ANC's re-election campaign in the 2024 general election. [49] Stating that unless one considered the possibility of Russian funding for the ANC, South Africa's support for Russia in its war against Ukraine "made no sense." [49] South Africa's third largest political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, rejected the accusation, [50] called for the immediate dismissal of ambassador Brigety, [51] accused the US of spreading propaganda, [52] and stated that if "guns [...] were given to Russia [then] it was a good thing." [53]

The South African civil society group Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) demanded that the South African government publicly share information on what cargo was loaded onto the Lady R and be more transparent about South African arms sales generally. [51] The South African academic and criminologist Guy Lamb asserted that, assuming South Africa acted in accordance with its own laws, it was highly unlikely that South Africa loaded arms or ammunition onto the Lady R. [54]

The diplomatic incident caused speculation over whether the United States would be continuing South Africa's preferential trade status with the country through the AGOA, [5] [6] [55] thereby possibly inflicting significant damage to South Africa's economy. [56] [57] There was also speculation that the incident might also threaten the continued status of PEPFAR in South Africa. [58] The value of the South African Rand declined from R18.8 per US dollar on 10 May to R19.3 per dollar by 18 May, [59] a decline that was attributed to the incident. [59] [60] In May 2023, South African Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise insisted "there was fokol [ Afrikaans: nothing] on that ship". [61]

At least two South African journalists stated that if the claims are proven false, Ambassador Brigety should be either ousted or punished for making unsubstantiated claims. [62] [63]

Reaction in Russia and Ukraine

Russia responded by stating that their government "expressed their intention to further intensify mutually beneficial relations" in a possible attempt to exploit the situation. [43] The Russian government later described ambassador Brigety's accusation as "totally fabricated and as false" [64] whilst comparing it to Colin Powell's 2003 presentation to United Nations Security Council falsely accusing Iraq of having WMDs. [64]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the incident by stating that he had spoken with President Ramaphosa two days after ambassador Brigety's accusation about "the peace formula [for the war], about justice, and about how our world should be united by the rules of international law." [65] [66] President Zelensky also stated that “anyone who helps the aggressor [Russia] with weapons will be an accomplice with all consequences” in possible reference to the event. [65] [66]

Inquiry findings

In May 2023, Ramaphosa named a three-person panel to investigate the incident. [67] The South African government published the executive summary of the findings but kept the full report secret arguing that it needed to maintain military security. [68] [69] The inquiry, headed by former judge Phineas Mojapelo, [70] found that whilst the ship had delivered weapons from Russia to South Africa, there was "no evidence to support the claim that the ship transported weapons from South Africa destined for Russia." [71] [68]

The inquiry also found that the South African government was unaware that the sanctioned Russian ship was heading to South Africa until it neared South African waters and that it was redirected to Naval Base Simon's Town after the port at Ngqura-Port Elizabeth refused to service the sanctioned ship. [72] The inquiry also noted the role of the United Arab Emirates in facilitating the weapons transaction, [70] and that the ship had turned off its identification transponder as it was being tracked by unnamed foreign intelligence agencies. [72] The inquiry concluded that because the US sanctions were not endorsed by the United Nations, they were not binding on South Africa. [72]

According to journalist Thulani Mpofu, "A South African government inquiry into whether weapons were loaded onto a Russian ship in December 2022, as claimed by a US diplomat, has established that a European company had in fact been uploading food onto the vessel." [73]

Both the South African and US governments sought to smooth relations following the publication of the inquiry. [69] The US government stated that it appreciated the South African government's interest in investigating the incident but made no comment on the finding of the inquiry. [71] [69] The director of the African Defence Review, Darren Olivier, stated that the inquiry's findings raised "more questions than it answers" and that it was unlikely that it would close the issue. [70] Since docking in South Africa, the Lady R has reportedly docked multiple times at North Korean ports, allegedly (by the United States) transporting weaponry and military equipment to Russia to be used in support of that country's invasion of Ukraine. [74]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African National Congress</span> Political party in South Africa

The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election resulted in Nelson Mandela being elected as President of South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa, the incumbent national President, has served as President of the ANC since 18 December 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyril Ramaphosa</span> President of South Africa since 2018

Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current president of South Africa since 2018. A former anti-apartheid activist and trade union leader, Ramaphosa is also the president (leader) of the African National Congress (ANC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Zuma</span> President of South Africa from 2009 to 2018

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi. Zuma was a former anti-apartheid activist, member of uMkhonto weSizwe, and president of the African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naledi Pandor</span> South African politician (born 1953)

Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor is a South African politician, educator and academic who served as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation until 2024. She also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the African National Congress (ANC) since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwede Mantashe</span> South African Politician

Samson Gwede Mantashe is a South African politician and former trade unionist who is currently serving as the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, with the function of Minister of Electricity and Energy having been accorded to Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. Mantashe was Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy from May 2019 to June 2024, and Minister of Mineral Resources from February 2018 to May 2019. He is also serving his second term as the national chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

The United States and South Africa currently maintain bilateral relations with one another. The United States and South Africa have been economically linked to one another since the late 18th century which has continued into the 21st century. United States and South Africa relations faced periods of strain throughout the 20th century due to the segregationist, white minority rule in South Africa, from 1948 to 1994. Following the end of apartheid in South Africa, the United States and South Africa have developed a strategically, politically, and economically beneficial relationship with one another and currently enjoy "cordial relations" despite "occasional strains". South Africa remains the United States' largest trading partner in Africa as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–South Africa relations</span> Bilateral relations

Russia–South Africa relations are foreign relations between Russia and South Africa. Full diplomatic relations were established between both countries in 1942 as the Soviet Union. Russia has an embassy in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Cape Town. South Africa has an embassy in Moscow. Both countries are also members of BRICS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa–Ukraine relations</span> Bilateral relations

South African-Ukrainian relations refers to the current and historical relations between South Africa and Ukraine. South Africa established an embassy in Kyiv in October 1992 while Ukraine established an embassy in Pretoria in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Steenhuisen</span> South African politician (born 1976) and Minister of Agriculture

John Henry Steenhuisen is a South African politician who is currently serving as Minister of Agriculture since June 2024. He has been the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) since November 2020, having served as the interim leader for one year from November 2019. He served as the twentieth leader of the Opposition from October 2019 to June 2024. Pursuant to the 2024 South African general election, he was appointed to the third cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa when the DA joined the Government of National Unity (GNU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic Freedom Fighters</span> Far-left political party in South Africa

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African communist and black nationalist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema, and his allies, in 2013. Malema is president of the EFF, heading the Central Command Team, which serves as the central structure of the party. It is currently the fourth-largest party in the National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mabuza</span> South African politician (born 1960)

David Mabuza is a South African politician who served as deputy president of South Africa from February 2018 to February 2023. He was the deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) from December 2017 to December 2022 and was previously the premier of Mpumalanga from 2009 to 2018, throughout the presidency of his former political ally Jacob Zuma. Mabuza served as a Member of Parliament from 2018 until his resignation in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siyabonga Cwele</span> South African doctor and politician

Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele is a South African politician who served in the cabinet of South Africa from September 2008 to May 2019, most recently as the Minister of Home Affairs between 2018 and 2019. He was appointed as the South African Ambassador to China in December 2020. He is a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and represented the party in Parliament from 1994 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuben Brigety</span> American diplomat and academic (born 1973)

Reuben E. Brigety II is an American diplomat and academic who has served as the United States ambassador to South Africa since August 2022. He was the vice-chancellor and president of the University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee, from 2020 to 2021. Previously, Brigety served as dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. Prior to that, Brigety has served as United States ambassador to the African Union, as a deputy assistant secretary of state, and as permanent representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidency of Jacob Zuma</span> South African presidential administration from 2009 to 2018

Jacob Zuma's tenure as South Africa's fourth post-apartheid president began on 9 May 2009 and ended on 14 February 2018. He held office under a mandate from the parliamentary caucus of the African National Congress (ANC), which had governed South Africa since 1994 and which won comfortable majorities in the 2009 and 2014 national elections. His presidency was beset by controversy, and he faced, and defeated, an impeachment attempt and a record eight motions of no confidence in the South African Parliament, four of which went to a vote. His party asked him to resign in February 2018, ahead of the constitutional end of his second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Mathabatha</span> 4th Premier of Limpopo

Chupu Stanley Mathabatha is a South African politician who served as the 4th Premier of Limpopo and is currently serving as a member of South Africa's 7th Parliament. He was elected to the position of premier in July 2013 after the resignation of Cassel Mathale. He was previously a public servant in Limpopo province and from 2012 to 2013 completed a brief stint as a diplomat, serving as South African Ambassador to Ukraine under President Jacob Zuma. He was succeeded by the former Limpopo MEC of Health Phophi Ramathuba on 14 June 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sindisiwe Chikunga</span> South African politician (born 1958)

Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga is a South African politician who is serving as the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities since 2024. A member of the African National Congress, she has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2004. Chikunga had previously served as Deputy Minister of Transport twice, from 2012 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2023, as Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration from 2019 until 2021, and as Minister of Transport from 2023 to 2024. She is a midwife by profession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Lamola</span> South African lawyer and politician (born 1983)

Ronald Ozzy Lamola is a South African lawyer and politician who is the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 22 May 2019 as a member of the African National Congress (ANC). He was Minister of Justice and Correctional Services from May 2019 to June 2024. He is a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee and National Working Committee. Lamola had previously been involved in the African National Congress Youth League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 South African general election</span> Election

General elections were held in South Africa on 29 May 2024 to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces. This was the 7th general election held under the conditions of universal adult suffrage since the end of the apartheid era in 1994. The new National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will be elected at the first sitting of each provincial legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Schreiber</span> South African writer and politician (born 1988)

Leon Amos Schreiber is a South African writer and politician who is currently serving as Minister of Home Affairs since 3 July 2024. A member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), he has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since May 2019.

The 2020 Phala Phala Robbery or Cyril Ramaphosa Farm Burglary or Farmgate Scandal was a burglary of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's private Phala Phala game farm near Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa. The incident occurred on 9 February 2020 in which an indeterminate amount of cash was stolen. Arthur Fraser, an ally of former President Jacob Zuma alleged that around 4 million US dollars of undeclared foreign currency had been stolen. However, subsequent reports indicated that the amount stolen was $580 000 Ramaphosa denied any wrongdoing, and sought judicial review of a report by a panel appointed by the South African Parliament released in 2022 that accused him of "serious misconduct". Opposition parties and MPs have slammed investigations into the source of the cash, and have accused the South African Reserve Bank of a providing claptrap report and systemic coverup. The Democratic Alliance intends to pursue the courts to further investigate the matter.

References

  1. 1 2 O’Regan, Victoria (22 December 2022). "SHIPPING LANES: Lady R's cargo was an 'old order' for ammunition, Modise says, but remains tight-lipped on details". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Helfrich, Kim (9 December 2022). "Mysterious Russian cargo ship Lady R exits Simon's Town". defenceWeb. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 O’Regan, Victoria (9 December 2022). "SHIPS IN THE NIGHT: Russian vessel slips out of Simon's Town with still no official explanation". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "South Africa loaded weapons onto Russian vessel, U.S. envoy says". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Mahlangu, Isaac (11 May 2023). "'Hostile' ANC ignores Washington attempts for dialogue: US ambassador to SA". timeslive.co.za. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023.
  6. 1 2 Davis, Rebecca (12 May 2023). "PORT IN AN INTERNATIONAL STORM: Explainer: What we know about the explosive Russian ship scandal so far". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 BalticShipping.com. "BalticShipping.com". www.balticshipping.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  8. 1 2 "LADY R, Ro-Ro Cargo Ship - Details and current position - IMO 9161003 - VesselFinder". www.vesselfinder.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  9. "Taking Additional Sweeping Measures Against Russia". United States Department of State. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  10. "Ukraine: Someone needs to speak for SA". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  11. Jurgens, Richard (4 July 2022). "Russia in Ukraine: South Africa's unprincipled stance". Good Governance Africa. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  12. Hamill, James (16 March 2022). "South Africa Has Clearly Chosen a Side on the War in Ukraine". World Politics Review. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  13. "South African Government calls for a peaceful resolution of the escalating conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine". www.dirco.gov.za. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  14. Fabricius, Peter (27 February 2022). "WAR IN EUROPE: Pretoria scrambles to repair relations with Russia after calling for invasion forces to leave Ukraine". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  15. Felix, Jason. "SA maintains 'cordial and friendly' relationship with Russia despite invasion of Ukraine". News24. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  16. "UN General Assembly demands Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, South Africa abstains from vote". The Mail & Guardian. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  17. Polakow-Suransky, Eusebius McKaiser, Sasha (18 March 2022). "South Africa's Self-Defeating Silence on Ukraine". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 28 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Fabricius, Peter (25 September 2022). "WAR IN EUROPE: ANC Youth League lends credibility to sham Moscow referendums in Ukraine". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  19. Gerber, Jan. "Lady R's cargo manifest is 'classified' claims ANC as opposition wants answers". News24. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  20. "South Africa's stance on Russia puzzles many. Could a mine in the desert hold answers?". CNN . 28 July 2023.
  21. 1 2 "Tracking Lady R: the covert voyage that allegedly took South African arms to Russia". www.ft.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  22. 1 2 O’Regan, Victoria (7 December 2022). "Sanctioned Russian ship docks at Simon's Town Naval Base". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  23. Solomons, Lisalee. "WATCH | No sign of the Lady R vessel in Simon's Town, SA Navy, SANDF still mum over cargo ship". News24. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  24. 1 2 3 "South African MPs worried about their government's arming Russia". Yahoo News. 11 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  25. "Tracking Lady R: the covert voyage that allegedly took South African arms to Russia". Financial Times. 14 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  26. 1 2 Solomons, Nicole McCain and Lisalee. "No distress signal flagged for Russian ship that left as mysteriously as it berthed at SA naval base". News24. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  27. "Why so much secrecy around Russian vessel in Simons Town?". CapeTalk. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  28. Hussain, Vanessa Banton and Muhammad. "IN-DEPTH | #LadyRussiagate: Highly unlikely SA supplied weapons to Russia, say experts". News24. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  29. O’Regan, Victoria (23 May 2023). "PORT IN AN INTERNATIONAL STORM : In pictures — a whole lot of fokol being loaded on to the Lady R". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  30. Hendricks, Cheryl; Majozi, Nkululeko (10 February 2021). "South Africa's International Relations: A New Dawn?". Journal of Asian and African Studies. 56 (1): 64–78. doi:10.1177/0021909620946851 via Sage Journals.
  31. "Brigety: ANC hostile towards America". eNCA. 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  32. Fabricius, Victoria O’Regan and Peter (11 May 2023). "PORT IN AN INTERNATIONAL STORM: US ambassador lashes out at ANC government for 'providing arms and ammunition to Russia'". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  33. 1 2 Did South Africa supply Russia with weapons?, DW News, 12 May 2023, archived from the original on 18 May 2023, retrieved 18 May 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  34. 1 2 3 Fabricius, Peter (7 May 2023). "INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: The landing of a sanctioned Russian plane at Waterkloof undermines Mufamadi's US mission". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  35. 1 2 3 "South African Army Chief Visits Moscow for Bilateral Talks". VOA. 15 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  36. Plessis, Carien du (18 February 2023). "South Africa's naval exercise with Russia, China raises Western alarm". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  37. Chutel, Lynsey; Eligon, John (4 May 2023). "South Africa Allowed Russian Plane Under U.S. Sanctions to Land at Base". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  38. Fabricius, Peter (27 April 2023). "REALITY CHECK: Ramaphosa delegation in the US to persuade Washington not to drop SA's trade benefits". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  39. "South Africa rejects US accusations of arms shipment to Russia". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  40. Verster, Compiled by Jenna. "#LadyRussiagate: Independent inquiry to investigate claims that SA supplied arms to Russia – Presidency". News24. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  41. "Government to establish inquiry into "Lady R" weapons allegations". SABC News. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  42. "Presidency responds to claims of weapons supply to Russia made by the US Ambassador". www.gov.za. South African Government. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  43. 1 2 "South Africa-US dispute escalates as Vladimir Putin calls Cyril Ramaphosa". Financial Times. 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  44. Mntambo, Nokukhanya. "US ambassador apologises 'unreservedly' to SA over Russia allegations – Dirco". ewn.co.za. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  45. 1 2 Fabricius, Victoria O’Regan and Peter (13 May 2023). "PORT IN AN INTERNATIONAL STORM: US rang the alarm bells in February about SA's alleged supply of arms to Russian cargo ship Lady R – Godongwana". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  46. 1 2 "South African army general in Moscow days after country accused of sending weapons to Russia". WREG.com. 15 May 2023. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  47. Mabaso, Nhlanhla. "Ramaphosa calls Russia arms allegations a 'distasteful attack' on SA". ewn.co.za. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  48. 1 2 Maliti, Soyiso. "#LadyRussiagate: Brigety 'launched distasteful attack' on SA, Ramaphosa tells ANC eThekwini members". News24. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  49. 1 2 Madiba, Thabi (12 May 2023). "DA points to Russia funding ANC, calls for Modise's dismissal in weapons saga". Polity.org.za. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023.
  50. Lekabe, Thapelo (12 May 2023). "'America is becoming a crybaby': Malema dismisses US claims of SA supplying weapons to Russia". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  51. 1 2 Helfrich, Kim (15 May 2023). ""Tell us what was loaded on the Lady R" – OUTA". defenceWeb. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  52. Zeeman, Kyle (12 May 2023). "WATCH | 'America is just becoming a crybaby' — Malema weighs in on Russian weapon ship allegations". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  53. Morgan, Kayleen. "'If guns were given to Russia it was a good thing' - Malema". ewn.co.za. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  54. Lamb, Guy (16 May 2023). "Did South Africa sell arms to Russia? Only a series of unlikely scenarios could have made it possible". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  55. "US allegations that South Africa shipped arms to Russia puts AGOA at risk - Agoa.info - African Growth and Opportunity Act". agoa.info. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  56. Gopaldas, Ronak (15 May 2023). "ISS TODAY OP-ED: Lady R fallout — SA's perceived partisanship cloaked in neutrality may spell economic disaster". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  57. Cotterill, Joseph (17 May 2023). "South Africa's flirtation with Moscow risks billions of dollars in US exports". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  58. Haffajee, Ferial (11 May 2023). "COMRADES IN ARMS: Pro-Russia hawks in ANC likely to push back against US after ambassador's outburst". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  59. 1 2 Thukwana, Ntando (12 May 2023). "Rand rattled: New record low after US claims of SA-Russia arms". Moneyweb. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  60. Ramela, Amo. "Inside EWN Roundtable: What's the cost of SA's relationship with Russia?". ewn.co.za. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  61. https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/fokol-on-russian-ship-minister-modise-sticks-to-her-guns-on-lady-r-saga-a1d3fb17-a400-4e19-b3be-f8bc0c9bfa04
  62. Stone, Setumo (14 August 2023). "Brigety's Head on the Block Over Lady R Blunder". Sunday World. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  63. Basson, Adriaan (14 August 2023). "It's Simple: If Ambassador Brigety Lied About Lady R, He Should Go". News24. p. 1.
  64. 1 2 Ditabo, Malaika. "Russian embassy hits back at US ambassador's claims, saying ammunition unsuitable for its arms". News24. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  65. 1 2 "Zelensky holds phone call with South African President". Yahoo News. 14 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  66. 1 2 Fabricius, Peter (14 May 2023). "PORT IN AN INTERNATIONAL STORM: Ukraine President Zelensky warns Ramaphosa against selling arms to Russia". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  67. "Three-member panel has six weeks to investigate Lady R affair". defenceweb.co.za. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  68. 1 2 O’Regan, Victoria (3 September 2023). "Independent panel finds no evidence of arms loaded on to Lady R from South Africa, says President Ramaphosa". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  69. 1 2 3 Cotterill, Joseph (4 September 2023). "Inquiry rejects US claims that South Africa supplied arms to Russia". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  70. 1 2 3 O’Regan, Peter Fabricius and Victoria (7 September 2023). "UAE role in Lady R saga 'doesn't make sense', say experts". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  71. 1 2 "South Africa says inquiry finds no evidence of arms shipment to Russia". BBC News. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  72. 1 2 3 Magome, Mogomotsi (6 September 2023). "South Africa didn't know a US-sanctioned Russian ship carried its military purchases, inquiry finds". ABC News. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  73. Mpofu, Thulani (9 August 2023). "Food, not guns were loaded onto Russian ship 'Lady R' in South Africa, inquiry finds". BNE Intellinews. p. 1.
  74. "Report: Sanctioned Russian Supply Ship Lady R Spotted in North Korea". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 17 March 2024.